A  <  '  •   ' 


United  Slates  Department  of  Agriculture, 

BUREAU     OF     PLANT     INDUSTRY, 

Wc-.trn-  iculturc, 

WASHINGTON.    I).  C. 


THE  WORK  OF  Till:   SAN    ANTONIO   EXPERIMENT 

FARM    IN    1913. 

By  S    I  i    Basting*    Fa       -  dent 


INTBODUCTION. 

The  work  of  the  San  Antonio  Experiment  Farm  in  1913  was  con- 
tinued along  the  same  general  lines  as  deecrihed  in  the  report  for  1912.' 
The  more  important  experiments  were  those  in  (Top  rotation  and 
tillage;  breeding  and  variety  testing  of  cotton  and  of  coin:  rate  of 
Beedingand  variety  testing  of  sorghum :  testing  of  varieties  of  peacl 
plums,  apricots,  persimmons,  grapes,  walnuts,  almonds,  Chinese 
dates,  and  some  other  fruits  of  lesser  importance;  and  testing  of 
resistant  stocks  for  these  fruits.  Additions  were  also  made  to  the 
ornamental  plantings. 

^\" i 1 1 1  the  exception  of  fruit  and  cotton  the  crop  yields  in  1913  were 
unusually  heavy.  The  corn  yield  was  the  largest  obtained  during 
the  seven  years  thai  the  experimenl  farm  has  been  operated.  The 
yields  of  forage  from  both  oats  and  Borghum  were  the  heaviest  bo  far 
obtained  with  the  exception  of  those  secured  in  1908.     The  avert 

yield  of  milo  exceeded   that   of   1912  by  7.7  bushels  per  acre  and   \\a* 

the  largest  bo  far  obtained.  The  yields  of  milo  have  been  extremely 
satisfactory  and  show  conclusively  that  this  crop  is  the  most  profitable 
grain  crop  for  the  San  Antonio  region.  In  the  rate-of-seeding  test 
with  milo  it  was  found  that  with  relatively  close  spacing  of  the  plant-, 
in  the  row  tin-  crop  matured  more  uniformly  and  higher  yields  were 
obtained,  chiefly  because  of  earlier  maturity  and  consequent  escape 
from  the  ravages  of  the  sorghum  midge,  which  ha-  been  the  princi- 
pal menace  to  the  production  of  grain  Borghum  in  this  region. 

The  effeel  of  crop  rotation  and  various  tillage  methods  i-  becoming 
more  noticeable.  Summer  fallowing  and  subsoiling  have  uniformly 
failed  to  justify  the  operations.     Conclusions  that  have  been  drawn 

s    H      The    work    of  the  San   Antonio    Kx|>oriment    Farm    in    1912.     In  \J,  &  I)»pt.  of 
llture,  Ituivuu  of  I'Unl  Industry  Circular  130,  1011. 

51347*— H 


from  these  experiments  have  led  to  the  incorporation  of  several  new 

rotations,  which  may  be  expected  to  give  additional  information  as 

to  the  best  practices  for  the  region. 

There  was  a  very  light  fruit  crop  in  1913,  owing  to  late  spring 

frosts.      Only  two    plum  varieties   fruited   and   even  the  best  peach 

varieties  fruited  but 
sparingly,  while  the 
others  set  no  fruit. 
A  heavy  crop  of  fruit 
was  obtained  from 
the  pomegranate 
varieties,  and  one 
variety  of  cit range, 
the  Rusk,  fruited 
this  season  for  the 
first  time. 

The  work  carried 
on  by  the  Office  of 
Acclimatization  and 
Adaptation  of  Crop 
Plants  has  shown 
that  a  closer  plant- 
ing of  cotton  in  the 
row  than  has  been 
the  practice  gives 
higher  yields.  Tn 
the  variety  test  of 
short-staple  cot- 
tons, a  locally  se- 
lected Triumph 
stock  gave  the  high- 
est yield.  The  ar- 
rangement of  the 
fields  and  the  loca- 
tion of  the   experi- 

Fio.  1.— Diagram  of  the  San  Antonio  Experiment  Farm,  showing  the  ar-      niCIllS     111     Ulo     &TB 
rangementof  the  fields  and  the  location  of  the  experiments  in  1913.  shown  ill  figure   1. 

CLIMATIC  CONDITIONS. 


The  season  of  1913  was  generally  favorable  to  crop  production 
in  the  San  Antonio  region  of  Texas.  More  than  the  usual  rain- 
fall in  December,  1912,  put  the  soil  in  good  condition  to  receive 
the  January  and  February  rams,  which  were  practically  normal 
in  quantity.  At  planting  time  the  soil  was  in  excellent  condition,  and 
rapid  and  uniform  germination  and  an  excellent  stand  of  nearly  all 


crops  resulted.  The  distribution  of  the  Bpring  rainfall  was  favorable 
to  the  development  of  plant  growth,  and  the  heavy  precipitation  in 
June  resulted  in  high  yields  of  corn  and  forage  crops.  At  the  Bame 
time  the  abundance  of  moisture  caused  an  excessive  vegetative 
growth  of  cotton  and  favored  the  development  <<(  the  cotton  l>"ll 
weevil  to  Buch  an  extent  thai  the  weevil  damage  at  the  experiment 

farm  was  much  greater  than  it  had  I n  for  Beveral  years  past.      \ 

droughl  lasting  through  Julj  and  the  greater  pari  of  August  and  the 
unusual  abundance  of  l>"ll  weevils  combined  t"  lessen  the  cotton 
crop  \  ery  materiaUy  . 

During  the  months  of  September  and  Ocl  »ber  unusually  heavy 
rains  fell,  causing  serious  floods  in  the  San  Ajitonio  and  adjacent 
rivers.  Such  ram-  were  favorable  i<>  the  development  of  late  forage 
crops,  and  abundant  feed  was  made  from  the  second-crop  growth  of 
Borghum  and  Johnson  grass.  The  re  oainder  of  the  year  was  char 
acterizcd  l>\  heavy  rains,  which  caused  much  delaj  in  fall  work 
through*  in  the  section,  and  in  some  parts  of  Texas  disastrous  floods 
occurred. 

During  the  year  the  total  precipitation  at  the  experiment  farm  was 
:;ii.71  inches.  This  was  12.05  inches  above  the  average  for  the  seven 
years  1907  to  1913,  inclusive,  and  about  lo  inches  above  the  normal 
for  u  20-year  period,   as  reported  by   the  United   States   Weather 

Bureau  station  at  San  Antonio. 

Owing  perhaps  to  the  excessive  precipitation,  the  evaporation  a1 
the  experiment  farm  was  somewhat  less  than  during  anj  year  of  the 
last  six.  The  t'>tal  evaporation  for  1913  was  58.68  inches,  while  the 
average  for  the  year-  1907  to  1913,  inclusive,  i-  65.88  inches. 

The  temperature  in  the  spring  of  L913  was  unusually  low,  the  last 
hilling  frost  occurring  on  March  17.  The  latest  frost  in  spring  during 
the  preceding  sis  year-  was  on  February  27,  which  occurred  in  1912. 
This  late  frosl  in  1913  resulted  in  freezing  the  corn,  which  was  about 
2  inches  high.  New  growth  started  uj>,  however,  so  thai  replanting 
was  not  necessary.  This  frost  also  killed  practically  the  entire  fruit 
crop  in  the  San  Antonio  region. 

The  first  killing  frosl  in  autumn  came  on  October  27,  when  a  mini- 
mum temperature  of  29  F.  was  recorded.  This  resulted  in  killing 
to  the  ground  all  the  tender  crops. 

The  meteorological  observations  made  at  the  experiment  farm  are 
carried  on  in  cooperation  with  the  Biophysical  Laboratory  of  the 
Bureau  of  Plant  Industry.  Table  I  gives  a  summary  of  these  obser- 
vations for  1913,  together  with  the  mean-  for  the  7-year  period  from 
1907  to  1913,  inclusive. 


Table  I. — Summary  of  meteorological  observations  made  at  tin  San  Antonio  El  }x r intent 
Farm,  1907  to  191$,  inclusive. 

Precipitation  i  i.\<  m 


Item. 

Jan. 

Feb. 

Mar. 

Apr. 

May. 

June. 

July. 

Auk. 

Bept. 

Oct. 

Nov. 

Dec. 

Total. 

Average  for  7  years, 

1907  to  1913 

For  1913 

0.61 
1.0] 

•_>.  19 
1.95 

1.81 
2.74 

2.92 
1.32 

2.  i:s 
2. 23 

1 .  65 
3.89 

1.41 

1.57 
L2] 

2.01 
7.21 

3.12 
<;.  26 

2. 72 

3.96 

2. 22 
4.28 

24.66 

36.71 

Evaporation  (Inches). 


Average  for  7  years, 

1907  to  1913 

For  1913 


2.63 

2.99 

L57 

5.44 

6.82 

8.14 

'.MS 

6.97 

5.10 

3.08 

2.31 

2. 10 

2.21 

ii.  17 

7.93 

6.61 

8.44 

7.90 

4.90 

4.31 

2.27 

1.92 

65.88 


Daily  w  im>  Velocity  (Miles  per  Hoi  b). 


Highest : 

1911-1913... 

For  1913... 
Lowest: 

1911-1913... 

For  1913... 

Average: 

1911-1913.  . 
For  1913... 


10.4 

15.9 

9.1 

10.6 

9.2 

11.9 

12.1 

12.1 

6.6 

8.5 

9.5 

6.8 

6.36 

9.1 

9.9 

8.5 

(i.4 

8.8 

5.1 

5.0 

4.3 

4.5 

.8 

.6 

.9 

.4 

1.1 

1.4 

.8 

1.3 

.5 

.5 

.4 

.8 

1.0 

1.1 

1.2 

.4 

1.1 

1.9 

.8 

1.3 

.0 

.5 

.4 

.7 

4.0 

4.8 

4.2 

4.1 

4.2 

4.2 

4.8 

3.9 

3.3 

3.2 

2.8 

2. 76 

3.1 

3. 5 

3.9 

3.6 

3.9 

3.3 

3.1 

2.4 

2.1 

2.1 

2.5 

2.12 

15.9 
9.9 


3.86 
2.97 


Temperature  (°F.). 


Absolute     maxi 
mum: 

7  years, 1907-1913 

For  1913 

Absolute  minimum: 

7  Years, 1907-1913 

for  1913.. 
Mean: 

7  vears, 1907-1913 

For  1913 . . 


88.5 

87 

95 

102 

103 

108 

108 

105 

104 

98 

86.5 

82 

75 

86 

90 

93 

96 

90.5 

102 

101 

101 

91 

83.5 

79 

12 

13 

26 

36 

39 

56 

64 

41 

29 

15 

17 

17 

20 

28 

26 

36 

54 

63 

65 

64 

46 

29 

34 

27 

53.5 

54.1 

64 

68.3 

75.2 

82.3 

85 

85.1 

79.6 

69.  3 

60.5 

.50.4 

49.8 

50 

57.7 

66 

75.  2 

79.  7 

83.7 

84.1 

7.V  5 

67.3 

65.8 

51.5 

108 
102 


12 
20 


67.2 


Killing  Frosts. 


Last  in  spring. 

First  in  autumn. 

Year. 

Date. 

Minimum 
tempera- 
ture. 

Date. 

Minimum 
tempera- 
ture. 

Frost-free 
period. 

1907                    

Feb.     8 
Feb.  20 
Feb.  25 
...do 

°F. 
29 
24 
30 
26 
29 

30.5 
26 

Nov.  12 
Nov.  14 
Dec.     6 
Oct.    29 
Nov.  13 
Nov.     2 
Oct.    27 

°F. 
32 
29 
31 
32 
31 

29.5 
29 

Days. 

277 

190S     .                                   

268 

1903...                        

284 

1910 

246 

1911.. 

...do 

261 

1912...                                 

Feb.  27 
Mar.    17 

215 

1913.. . 

224 

Koi  \l  ion    WD  TILLAGE  EXPERIM1  N  rfi 

The  rotation  and  tillage  experiments  were  continued  along  the  Bame 
lines  as  outlined  in  the  reporl  for  1912.  The  crop  season  of  1913  com- 
pleted the  fifth  year  of  these  experiments.  The  results  so  far  ob 
turned  warranted  the  adding  of  four  new  rotations  al  the  opening  <»f 
tlic  present  season.  Tun  I  year  rotations  and  two  •'!  vein-  rotations 
wi'iv  added  to  those  already  under  trial,  bo  that  at  the  present  time 
the  work  occupies  98  quarter-acre  plats.  There  is  now  a  total  of  •';■"> 
different  rotations  of  \  an  ing  lengths,  and  there  are  I  I  plats  continu- 
ous!) cropped  to  the  same  crops. 

The  favorable  results  obtained  with  Dwarf  milo  in  the  rotation 
experiments  in  the  season  of  1912,  when  it  was  substituted  for  coin 
in  live  rotation--  and  for  the  first  time  grown  in  these  experiments, 
made  it  desirable  to  reduce  Mill  further  the  Dumber  of  plats  of  corn. 
In  1913,  Dwarf  milo  was  therefore  substituted  for  corn  in  five  of  the 

old   rotations  and  included   ill    the   four  new   rotations.      The   results 

ol> tamed  from  this  en>|>  in  1913  were  very  satisfactory.     During  the 

year,  which  was  an  unusually  favorable  one  I'm-  Indian  corn  in  the  San 

Antonio  region,  the  average  yield  from  i  I  plats  of  Dwarf  milo  was 
17.7  bushels  per  acre,  as  compared  with  34.9  bushels  of  corn  per  acre, 
an  average  from  21  plats,  in  reality  the  milo  was  at  a  much  greater 
disadvantage  than  corn,  for  the  rains  occurring  after  June  L5  came  as 
the  corn  was  beginning  to  tassel  and  when  the  crop  was  feeling  the 
effects  of  the  lack  of  moisture.  If  these  rains  had  doI  occurred,  there 
probably  would  have  been  an  extremely  poor  yield  of  corn.  ()n  (lie 
other  hand,  the  milo  was  practically  mature  by  June  15,  bo  thai  the 

rains  occurring  thereafter,  and  which  insured  the  corn  crop,  were  of 
little,  if  any,  benefit  to  the  milo  crop. 

Four  years'  experience  has  demonstrated  the  undesirabihtj  of 
growing  cow  pea-  as  a  summer  crop  after  oats  or  corn,  on  account,  of 
Bummer  drought.  At.  the  beginning  of  the  season  of  1913,  therefore, 
cowpeas  as  a  catch  crop  after  oats  or  corn  were  eliminated  from  all 
but  two  rotations  in  which  cowpeas  had  previously  been  planted 
after  oats.  During  the  five  year-  the  rotation  work  has  been 
ducted  in  its  present  form  there  has  never  been  a  season  when  cow- 
peas made  a  crop  when  planted  after  corn,  and  only  one,  L913,  when 
they  made  sufficient  growth  to  be  of  any  value  as  a  green-manure 
crop  when  planted  after  oats.  During  most  summers  the  soil  has 
been  so  dry  as  to  make  useless  the  planting  of  cowpeas  after  corn, 
and  the  same  has  been  true  of  cow  pea-  after  oat-  dining  three  of  the 
five  year-.  Figure  2  .-how-  the  growth  of  cow  pea-  after  oats  during 
the  season  of  1912.  During  1913,  cowpeas  planted  after  oats  made 
excellent,  growth,  but.  the  season  was  a  most,  unusual  one.  the  pre- 

i 


cipitation  during  September  and  October  being  13.47  inches,  which 
is  much  above  the  normal  for  those  months.  There  was  sufficient 
moisture  at  planting  time,  about  July  1,  to  insure  perfect  germination. 
The  plants  made  some  growth  and  then  remained  practically  the 
same  size  until  heavy  rains  came  in  September. 

Field  peas  '  have  been  grown  at  the  experiment  farm  during  five 
years,  and  very  favorable  results  have  been  obtained.3  The  abundant 
growth  of  green  material  indicated  that  this  pea  would  make  a  desir- 
able, green-manure  crop.  Previous  to  1913  no  trials  were  made  with 
this  legume  as  a  green-manure  crop.  In  the  fall  of  1912  hold  peas 
a  winter  cover  and  green-manure  crop  were  introduced  in  two  rota- 
tions, and  two  plats  wore  planted  to  peas  on  October  31,  1912.     An 


Fig.  2. — Plat  of  cow-peas  in  rotation  experiments,  103  days  after  planting ,  at  the  San  Antonio  Experiment 
Farm,  showing  the  small  growth  made  during  the  dry  weather  of  summer.  Photographed  October  S, 
1912.    (Compare  with  figure  3.) 

excellent  growth  of  green  material  was  made  before  the  peas  were 
plowed  under  the  following  spring.  Figure  3  shows  the  appearand1 
of  the  peas  at  the  time  of  plowing  under.  The  excellent  results 
obtained  with  this  crop  during  1913  and  previously  have  shown  that 
field  peas  appear  to  be  the  most  satisfactory  legume  that  can  be 
grown  as  a  catch  crop  in  the  San  Antonio  region.  How  valuable  a 
green-manure  crop  this  legume  will  prove  to  be  remains  to  be  deter- 
mined, but  there  seems  to  be  no  question  about  its  ability  to  pro- 
duce a  heavy  growth.  At  the  present  time  the  peas  are  under  trial 
as  a  green-manure  crop  in  five  rotations  and  are  being  grown  during 
the  winter  on  one  plat  which  is  cropped  annually  to  cotton. 

1  These  arc  frequently  known  as  Canada  field  peas. 

2  See'' Foragc-cnip  experiments  at  the  San  Antonio  Field  Station,"  U.  S.  Dept.  obAgriculture,  Bureau 
of  Plant  Industry  Circular  106, 1313. 


Tho  favorable  results  obtained  with  Sudan  during  1911  and 

1012  made  it  desirable  t"  introduce  this  crop  into  the  rotation  ■ 
ments.      Accordingly,  il i i -<  < •  r» ►  j >  u ;i >  introduced  int<  ion 

made  up  of  Dwarf  tnilo,  Sudan  and  cotton.     The  Sudan 

occupied  tho  same  relative  positioi  imilar  rotation        Tho 

rield  from  the  one  plal  of  Sudan  is  at  the  rate  ol 

tons  per  acr 

The  results  obtained  from  the  rotation  experiments  during  the 
season  were  very  satisfactory  and  the  \  ields  <>t  most  crops  were  lii'_rli. 
Table  II  indicates  the  crops  grown  in  these  experiments,  the  number 
of  plats  planted  to  each  crop  in  1913,  the  average  yields  per  acre,  and 
the  highest  and  lowesl  yields  per  acre  in  1913,  as  well  as  the  average 
yields  of  the  various  crops  from  1909  to  1912,  inclusive. 


Kiii.  3.    Plat  of  Golden  Vine  I  Iirm. 

r  31, 1913,  and  phol  in  February  25, 1913.     tboul  : 
ofpiwn  material  p 

Tab  lb  II      Average  yields  per  acre  of  t  and  from 


rfeld, 
I  I0B  1913 

Number 

lif  platS 
111   191  I. 

' 

Crop 

Com.... 

im: 
drill 

d 

11    7 
2  71 

11 

• 
7   7- 

! 

21 

2.86 

8 

The  different  rotations  have  not  been  under  trial  a  sufficient  length 
of  time  to  determine  wliich  are  best  and  the  best  sequence  for  the 
various  crops  grown  in  the  region.  However,  the  results  so  far 
obtained  show  the  decided  superiority  of  crop  rotation  as  compared 
with  1-crop  systems.  It  has  been  the  practice  in  the  rotation  experi- 
ments to  have  one  or  more  plats  on  wluch  each  crop  is  grown  con- 
tinuously with  which  to  compare  the  yields  from  the  same  crop 
grown  in  various  rotations.  The  yields  have  been  uniformly  higher 
when  the  crops  have  been  grown  in  rotation  than  when  the  crops 
were  grown  continuously  on  the  same  land. 


SUBSOHJNG. 

The  results  obtained  from  subsoiling  wore  corroborative  of  results 
previously  published.1 

The  average  yields  of  corn  and  cotton  from  land  subsoiled  and 
from  land  not  subsoiled  were  practically  the  same,  and  subsoiling 
decreased  the  yield  of  oats  for  both  hay  and  grain. 

FALLOWING. 

The  results  of  fallowing  were  substantially  the  same  as  in  previous 
years.  The  yields  of  corn,  cotton,  and  oats  grown  on  fallowed  land, 
together  with  the  average  yield  of  each  crop  from  all  of  the  rotation 
experiments,  are  shown  in  Table  III. 

Table  III. —  Yields  of  crops  grown  on /allowed  land  and  average  yields  of  all  rotation 
plats  at  the  Sa7i  Antonio  Experiment  Farm  in  1913. 


Crop. 


^^tffi**    »— Wtow84 


Number 
of  plats. 


Yield. 


Number 
of  plats. 


Yield. 


Oats  (yield  iu  bushels) 

Corn  (yield  in  bushels) 

Cotton  (yield  in  pounds  of  seed  and  fiber) 


13.4 

34.9 

560. 1 


38.0 

30.7 
350.0 


It  is  seen  from  the  table  that  fallowing  was  favorable  to  the  pro- 
duction of  winter  oats  grown  for  grain,  but  that  the  yields  of  corn 
and  cotton  were  much  lower  than  the  average  yields  obtained  in  the 
rotations.  The  increased  yield  of  oats  on  fallowed  land  appears  to 
be  due  to  slower  growth  during  the  early  part  of  the  season  and  to 
the  consequent  lessened  damage  from  lodging  or  from  late  drought. 
Oats  on  the  other  plats  made  such  a  luxuriant  vegetative  growth 
during  the  early  part  of  the  season  that  they  lodged  badly  and  the 

1  Experiments  in  subsoiling  at  S:in  Antonio.  In  1".  S.  Dept.  of  Agriculture,  Bureau  of  Plant  Industry 
Circular  111,  1913. 

The  work  of  the  San  Antonio  Experiment  Fannin  1912.  In  U.  S.  Dept.  of  Agriculture,  Bureau  of  Plant 
Industry  Circular  120,  1913. 


quantity  of  water  available  during  the  latter  pari  "i  the  growing 
period  was  not  sufficient  to  mature  the  plants  properly.  It  was 
observed  that  fallowing  did  not  make  the  conditions  more  favorable 
for  plant  growth  throughout  the  season  as  a  whole,  but  thai  it  was 
the  depressing  effect  on  the  vegetative  growth  earlj  in  the  season 
which  resulted  in  a  higher  yield  of  grain. 

HOBTIC1  i.n  k\i.  WOBK. 

Owing  to  late  spring  frosts  which  were  preceded  l>\  warm  weather, 
there  was  practically  no  fruit  crop.  Onlj  a  few  peaches  were  found 
on  the  trees  of  the  Mexican  seedling  peach  orchard,  and  the  same 
was  true  of  the  other  peach  varieties.     Only  two  varieties  of  plums, 


:.miegranates  in  the  on-hard  at  the  San  Antonio  Experiment  K.i 

tin-  Gonzales  and  Terrell,  bore  fruit.  The  former  9et  a  heavy  crop. 
The  Gonzales  plum  i-  undoubtedly  the  most  reliable  variety  thai  has 
been  under  trial.  The  Rusk  citrange  fruited  for  the  first  time  in 
1913.  Tin-  citrange  i-  on,-  of  the  hardiest  of  the  citrus  fruit-,  and 
this  variety  is  particularly  well  adapted  to  San  Antonio  conditions. 

POMBGBAN  Ml  -. 

A  heavy  crop  wad  matured  in  1913  from  most  of  the  pome- 
granate varieties  that  have  fruited.  The  San  Pipetos,  !>•■  dative, 
and  Dessia  varieties  have  produced  the  hot  fruit-  of  the  collection 
of  nine  varieties.  The  Papershell  and  Subacid  varieties  have  ma- 
tured the  heaviest  crop-.  Where  strong,  vigorous  plants  are  desired, 
the  San  Pipetos  and  De  dative  should  be  planted  (fig.  t 


10 

RESISTANT  STOCKS. 

The  resistance  or  nonresistance  of  the  various  stocks  to  the  adverse 
soil  conditions  was  more  pronounced  in  191.'3  than  ever  before.  The 
testing  of  the  various  resistant  varieties  as  stocks  is  to  be  continued, 
for  it  is  evident  that  there  is  great  variation  in  the  different  fruits 
and  varieties  of  the  same  species  as  to  their  resistance  to  disease. 
A  collect  ion  of  five  different  lots  of  peach  seedlings  was  made  during 
the  year,  and  these  are  to  he  tested  in  an  orchard  devoted  to  resistant 
stocks. 

The  fruit  stocks  that  are  receiving  special  attention  are  peaches, 
grapes,  walnuts,  plums,  persimmons,  and  pears.     The  results  obtained 


Fig.  5.— View  of  ornamental  plantings  at  the  San  Antonio  Experiment  Farm,  showing  palms,  yuccas, 
bamboos,  and  other  semitropical  plants.    About  150  different  species  are  being  tested. 

along  this  line  indicate  that  by  the  use  of  proper  stocks  many  fruits 
heretofore  considered  not  adapted  to  local  conditions  may  be  pro- 
duced and  also  that  many  new  fruits  may  be  added  to  the  list. 

ORNAMENTALS. 

The  testing  of  ornamental  trees  and  shrubs  suitable  for  the 
San  Antonio  region  is  receiving  much  attention,  and  many  of  the 
plantings  have  reached  the  stage  where  their  adaptability  to  the  local 
conditions  can  be  determined.  There  are  under  trial  at  present  149 
different  species,  as  follows:  Miscellaneous  species  which  were  secured 
largely  from  various  nurseries,  0,");  importations  of  the  Office  of 
Foreign  Seed  and  Plant  Introduction,  30 species;  yuccas,  agaves,  etc.. 
most  of  which  are  native,  19  species;  palms,  19  species:  .and  native 
species,  most  of  which  may  be  used  as  ornamentals,  10.  In  addition 
to  the  above  there  are  under  trial  SO  varieties  of  roses.  A  view  of 
a  part  of  the  ornamental  plantings  is  shown  in  figure  .">. 


II 


sr\u\<;  OF  «  i'iiii\  i-i.w  i  v 


During  the  pasl  i  w  o  years  extensive  experiments  have  been  carried 
mi  with  cotton  planted  in  rows  difFerenl  distances  apart  and  with 
the  plants  thinned  to  varying  distances  in  the  row.     Te  I  o 

being  made  with  cotton  thinned  at  various  atagos  of  growth.  The 
object  of  these  experiments  bas  been  to  tesl  the  possibility  of  secur- 
ing curlier  crops  l>\  controlling  the  formation  of  the  vegetative 
branches.  Ii  bas  been  found  that  the  vegetative  branches  can  be 
suppressed  l>\  thinning  the  cotton  Later  and  leaving  the  plants  closer 
together  in  the  rows  than  bas  been  customs  ■  .  This  work  is  carried 
on  by  the  Office  of  Acclimatization  and  Adaptation  of  Crop  Plants. 
Recent  publications  by  O.  F.  Cook1  give  the  results  of  these  experi- 
ments carried  on  in  L912and  1913.  In  these  publications  it  is  shown 
that  closer  planting  than  i-  customary  gives  higher  yields.  Closer 
Bpacing  of  the  plants  in  the  i'du  has  been  adopted  in  the  field 
plantings  at  the  Btation,  with  results  which  seem  to  justify  the  more 
extensive  use  of  this  method  in  the  section.  The  distance  apart 
which  the  plants  have  heretofore  been  spaced  was  24  inches,  but  this 
distance  has  been  reduced  to  1-  inches  or  less. 

Mr.  R.  M.  Meade,  of  the  Office  of  Acclimatization  and  Adaptation 
of  Crop  Plants,  has  furnished  some  figures  on  the  results  of  some 
experiments  carried  on  at  the  San  Antonio  Experiment  Farm  to 
determine  the  mosl  desirable  distances  to  which  to  thin  the  plants  in 
the  row.     These  figures  are  given  in  Table  IV. 


Tablh  l\ 


Yi<lt/\  ■  n  i'>i :  inul  1913  u  ith  i>i<o 

at  ti 


Year. 


yield 


■ 


I',  tt  i  ••. 


-wil 


14.0 


mi 


Cotton  grown  according  to  this  new  system,  or  where  the  plants 
are  spaced  closer  together,  grows  in  a  hedgelike  form  and  may  be 

more  readily  picked,  either  by  hand  or  by  machinery.      One  feature 
that   makes  this  new    system  especially  adapted   to  the  San  Antonio 


1  A  u. 

D  I  ilture  arnl  its  application. 
Bulletin  601, 


12 

region,  where  the  growing  period  is  frequently  shortened  by  drought 
or  by  the  boll  weevil,  is  the  fact  that  a  crop  may  be  matured  earlier 
than  where  the  plants  are  spaced  at  greater  distances. 

VARIETY  TEST  OF  COTTON. 

A  variety  test  of  cotton,  which  was  practically  a  duplicate  of  the 
test  made  in  1912,  was  conducted  in  1913.  Table  V  gives  the  results 
of  this  test.     The  varieties  were  planted  in  rows  16  rods  long. 

Table  V. — Results  of  variety  tests  of  short-staple  cotton  at  tht  San  Autumn  Krperiment 

Farm  in  1913. 


Relative 

position. 

l'J12 

1913 

2 

1 

3 

2 

3 

6 

4 

3 

;> 

6 

0 

i 

8 

9 

10 

11 

11 

.     8 

12 

Variety. 


Stand. 


Yield  per  acTe 
(pounds;. 


Plants 
per  row. 


B.  A.  1000,  Triumph 163 

S.  A.  920,  Triumph 1.50 

S.  A.  917,  Triumpli 143 

Rowden 140 

Roundnose I  147 

Trook 1 49 

Lone  Star 147 

Boudurant 148 

Triumpli,  San  Saba 149 

LanquJn 150 

Acala 159 

Durango .  .  I  162 


Per  cent. 

Seed 
cotton. 

100 

544 

92 

496 

88 

496 

86 

492 

90 

480 

91 

464 

90 

432 

91 

416 

91 

92 

392 

97 

348 

99 

336 

Lint. 


169 
154 
166 
132 
127 
130 
140 
106 
120 
131 
104 
96 


As  shown  in  Table  V,  the  San  Antonio  selections  of  the  Triumph 
variety  ranked  high  during  both  years.  Considering  both  yield  and 
quality,  the  Triumph  is  the  most  desirable  variety  tested  during  the 
past  two  years.  The  Virgatus  gave  the  highest  yield  in  1912,  but  the 
lint  produced  is  very  short,  and  consequently  the  variety  was  not  in- 
cluded in  the  test  in  1913. 

A  test  of  10  varieties  of  long-staple  Upland  cotton  was  made  in 
cooperation  with  the  Office  of  Acclimatization  and  Adaptation  of 
Crop  Plants.  These  varieties  were  planted  on  field  D3,  and  it  was 
intended  that  they  should  be  grown  under  irrigation.  They  received 
a  light  irrigation  soon  after  planting,  but  owing  to  the  heavy  spring 
rains  it  was  not  necessary  to  irrigate  again  until  late  in  the  season. 
But  at  this  time  the  boll  weevils  appeared  in  such  numbers  that  it 
was  not  deemed  advisable  to  stimulate  an  excessive  vegetative  growth, 
so  that  no  further  irrigating  was  done.  Table  VI  gives  the  results 
of  the  test. 


13 


/   p         i  i 


\  ui 

lint. 

pound. 

!■.■>•  ion. 

»1 
BO 

134 

Ho 

li ; 
108 

tog 

ii 

JO.  I.". 
.18 

i  . 

.14 

i  • 
.  18 

ii 
li 

Columbia.. 

1-  BO 

21    18 

Snow  i' 

• 

.'l  .ii 

'■.'. 

1 1  84 

12.18 

The  column  headed  "Value  of  linl  per  pound"  is  I  >  - « —*  -« 1  on  the  ordi- 
nary Bhoii  staple  Belling  al  13  cents  per  pound.  It  Bhould  be  under- 
stood thai  while  these  estimates  are  onlj  relative  thej  should  not  be 
ignored.  It  i-  clearrj  possible  to  produce  long-staple  cotton  in  this 
region  whenever  market  conditions  are  Buch  as  to  justify  it .  especially 
on  land  thai  can  be  irrigated  when  necessary  in  dry  seasons.  The 
l>e>t  of  iluv  above  varieties  will  be  tested  again  in  19]  I. 

(.KVIN  SORGHUMS. 

In  1913  the  work  with  grain  sorghums  consisted  of  a  variety  tesl  of 
four  varieties  and  of  Borne  plant-spacing  experiments,  both  with  the 
plants  differenl  distances  aparl  in  the  rows  and  with  the  rows  differenl 
distances  aparl . 

VAR1KTY  TEST. 

Table  VII  gives  the  yields  obtained  in  1913  in  the  variety  tesl  with 
grain  sorghums. 

Table  VII. 

in  I  ■ 


i  per 

p.T 

Pwnrf  miln 

Itu.ihrl.i. 

1  '/». 

White  nulo  .  .  . 

,  -    ■ 

Considerable  interesl  is  being  Bhown  in  feterita  as  a  substitute 
for  milo  or  kiifir.  At  the  experimenl  farm  it  ha- not  yielded  as  well 
as  milo,  although  it  has  generally  outyi  elded  kalir.  Table  VIII  gives 
the  average  yield  of  Dwarf  milo  and  feterita  for  the  years  1911  to  1913. 


14 


Table   VIII. 


Average  yields  of  Dwarf  milo  andfeterita  at  the  San  Antonio  Experiment 
Farm  in  1911,  191  i\  and  191  f. 


Year. 

Yield  per  acre — 

Dwarf  milo. 

Feterita. 

1911 

Bushel*. 

32. 0 
50.5 

4',.  4 

Bushels. 
25  3 

L912 

33  1 

L913. 

•>4  4 

4.3.0                   97  K 

SPACING  OF  MILO. 


The  successful  production  of  grain  sorghum  depends  upon  early 
maturity  because  of  the  ravages  of  the  sorghum  midge.1  Milo  tillers 
very  freely  at  San  Antonio,  especially  when  the  plants  are  spaced 
some  distance  apart.  The  tillers  flower  several  days  later  than  the 
main  stalk,  lengthening  the  season  of  the  crop,  and  as  the  margin 
between  the  flowering  of  the  plants  and  the  emergence  of  the  sorghum 
midge  is  frequently  very  short  it  is  of  importance  that  the  crop  be 
matured  as  uniformly  and  quickly  as  possible. 

In  1913  ten  plats  of  milo  were  devoted  to  a  test  to  determine  the 
effect  upon  the  tillers  of  spacing  the  plants  to  various  distances. 
It  was  found  that  the  plants  can  be  placed  much  closer  together 
than  is  generally  supposed  without  decreasing  the  yield.  Where  the 
plants  were  relatively  close  together  in  the  row  the  number  of  tillers 
was  very  materially  decreased.  As  the  tillers  are  later  in  maturing 
than  the  main  stalk,  earlier  and  more  uniform  ripening  was  obtained 
with  close  spacing  than  where  wide  spacing  was  practiced.  Table 
IX  gives  a  summary  of  the  results. 

Table  IX. — Summary  of  results  obtained  with  milo  planted  in  rous  different  distances 
apart  and  with  the  plants  spaced  to  varying  distances  within  the  row  at  the  San  Antonio 
Experiment  Farm  in  191  J. 


Distances  apart 

Average  number 

Distances  apart 

Average  number 

(inches). 

per  plant. 

Yield 
per  acre. 

(inches). 

per  plant. 

Yield 

| 

per  acre. 

Rows. 

Plants. 

Heads. 

Tillers  on 
May  15. 

Rows.        Plants. 

Heads. 

Tillers  on 

May  15. 

Bushds. 

Bushels. 

48 

m 

1.3 

1.9 

46.4 

48 

is 

5.2 

5.7 

42.5 

48 

2 

1.5 

1.8 

46.4 

44 

5 

2.  g 

4.7 

45.3 

48 

5 

2.6 

4.0 

46.2 

40 

5 

2.2 

2.9 

45.8 

IN 

8 

3.6 

4.5 

43.8 

36 

5 

2.5 

4.0 

42.9 

48 

12 

4.3 

5.3 

42.1 

1  See  "Grain-sorghum  production  in  the  San  Antonio  region  of  Texas."     U.  S.  Dept.  of  Agriculture, 
Bureau  of  I'lanl  Industry  Bulletin  237,  1912. 

2  Not  thinned. 


L5 

\  h'.w  11  in  Table  I  X .  \  arj  ing  i  he  spacing  had  compai  ativi  l\  lit  i  le 
effect  on  the  yields,  but  the  highesl  yields  wen-  obtained  from  rela 
tiveh  close  spacing.  The  mosl  important  effecl  of  spacing  shown 
in  the  table  was  the  decreased  number  of  heads  and  of  tillers  per 
plant  where  the  plants  were  relativelj  close  togethei  within  the  row. 
The  benefit  derived  from  having  few  tillers  lies  in  the  fact  thai  few 
tillers  favor  earlj  and  uniform  maturity.  On  June  28,  when  90  per, 
cent  of  the  heads  on  the  close  spaced  plant  -  (those  left  un thinned  and 
those  thinned  to  2  inches)  were  ripe,  less  than  70  per  cenl  of  the 
heads  on  the  wider  spaced  plant-  had  reached  maturity.  Earlj  and 
uniform  maturity  lessens  the  danger  of  damage  bj  the  sorghum  midge, 
and  th<'  results  obtained  in  1913  stronglj  indicate  thai  closi  i  spacing 
than  has  usuall)  been  practiced  will  resull  in  earlit  r  and  more  uniform 
maturit  \  . 

\  UMI.TY  TEST  OF  CORN. 

Four  popular  local  varieties  of  corn  wen-  tested  in  comparison 
with  two  local  unnamed  varieties  which  arc  rather  extensivi  I  grown. 
Table  X  gives  the  results  of  this  test. 

b  X. —  1 


Ferru 

>lm  . 


• 


yield 


I.  mini  . 


The  Laguna,  a  -train  grown  and  selected  at  the  experiment  farm 
for  five  years,  gave  the  highesl  yield.  Condition-  were  somewhal 
more  favorable  for  this  variety  than  for  the  other-,  which  arc  a  lit- 
tle earlier  in  maturing.  The  earlier  varieties  were  somewhal  injured 
1>\  the  drought  occurring  early  in  June  at  the  time  these  varieties 
had  begun  to  tassel.  The  dune  rain-  came  in  time  -o  that  the  Laguna 
variety  was  probably  hut  little  injured. 

Approved : 

Wm.  A.  Taylor, 

( 'In  i  of  Bureau. 

June  3,  191  I. 


V.  \>llt  SOTO?  MEST  im:i  ">  E  :    1914 


UNIVERSITY  OF  FLORIDA 


3  1262  09216  2451 


UNIV.  OF  R.  i*-' 
DOCUMENTS  ft."  f 


/    «- 


U.S.  DEPOSITG 


